Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Cairo

Eparchy of Cairo (Maronite) Eparchy Cahirensis Maronitarum
Location
Country	Egypt
Statistics
Population - Catholics	(as of 2013) 5,000
Parishes	7
Information
Denomination	Maronite Church
Rite	West Syro-Antiochene Rite
Established	22 June 1946 (77 years ago)
Cathedral	Saint Joseph Cathedral
Patron saint	Saint Joseph
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Patriarch	Bechara Boutros al-Rahi
Eparch	Georges Chihane

Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Cairo of the Maronites (in Latin: Eparchy Cahirensis Maronitarum) is a seat of the Maronite Church suffragan of the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Maronites. It is currently ruled by eparch Georges Chihane.

Territory and statistics

The eparchy extends to all the faithful of the Maronites in Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan. Its eparchial seat is the city of Cairo, where the cathedral of St. Joseph is located.

The eparchy at the end of 2013 had 5,000 members and is divided into seven parishes.

History

The patriarchal vicariate to Maronites in Egypt was built in 1904. It was raised to the dignity of eparchy on 22 June 1946 with the Papal bull Inter praecipuas of Pope Pius XII.

Bishops

• Pietro Dib (July 30, 1946 - November 4, 1965 deceased)
• Joseph Merhi, CML (August 24, 1972 - June 5, 1989 withdrawn)
• Joseph Dergham (June 5, 1989 - September 18, 2005 withdrawn)
• François Eid, OMM (September 24, 2005 - June 16, 2012 appointed patriarchal procurator to the Holy See)
• Georges Chihane, from 16 June 2012

Sources

• Annuario Pontificio, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 2003, ISBN 88-209-7422-3

External links

• http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dlcma.html
• http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/cair1.htm